Algorithm is a word that we hear so often nowadays, it can affect our daily lives: what we watch on TV, what we see on social media, essentially how we view the world, and the list goes on. By definition, algorithms are described as “a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer,” but what if the procedure which is meant to solve problems is actually causing more?
Music Choice is breaking the mode with their approach to playlists creation, but they aren't new to this game: they’ve been in the business for 35 years, reaching 65 million houses across the US. They broadcast on hundreds of ad-free channels and playlists for free with most cable packages or through a paid subscription available on select Smart TV. Similarly, users can also access their music on the go through an app which only costs 99 cents a month. They may be already ahead of the game offering their service for a price that is much cheaper than their competitors, but that’s not Music Choice’s only edge on the competition.
Music Choice offers hundreds of various playlists based on a mix of mood and genre, mirroring what the consumer desires by monitoring trends in the market. Luis Rivera from Music Choice’s programming team said: “On the week of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2024, we knew our customers would be seeking rock music, so we did a big sweep of our playlist to ensure we were providing rock playlists to suit our consumers' needs”.
What makes Music Choice different to others on the market?
Luis added: “Due to our approach, our consumers are given a playlist which has been moulded A to Z with a human touch which drives engagement and retention, leaving our listeners begging for more. Music Choice values quality over quantity, so we may not offer the same amount of playlists as Spotify, but our playlists meet expectations and always deliver.
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“Another element many of our listeners really enjoy is the diversity in our song and artist selection across all our playlists. We have filters we use, like artist separation, that ensure we don’t play more than three songs by the same artist within a three-hour time frame. This is not only beneficial in keeping our listeners engaged by not playing the same songs on repeat but also provides broader exposure opportunities to the music industry as a whole.”
We may not offer the same amount of playlists as Spotify, but our playlists meet expectations.
He continued: “Our playlists are curated with a human touch from the get-go, and we pride ourselves on being trailblazers and big players in the industry because of this. Our service is available through the top cable and satellite providers in the US, where we offer over 130 channels for listeners for all genres and moods. For the cord-cutters, we also offer an audio subscription product that they can purchase directly through their Smart TVs, where we have more than 600 human-curated playlists from different genres, moods, and eras all mixed into one, offering something more unique than our competitors.”
So how exactly does the human touch work when it comes to music consumption and playlist curation? Luis has revealed Music Choice’s secret formula to the most elite playlist following one of their many mantras, which is that music is an experience, not just a genre.
How does it work?
Luis said: “Our programmers begin by defining the main genre or mix of genres for the playlist, along with the desired mood, for example, party pop music or chilled soul music. They then incorporate additional attributes like release years or era, as well as related moods, to curate these elements into a set of songs. Our proprietary algorithm then organizes these songs into an automated playlist, with human curation at the core of the entire process.”
“However, it doesn’t stop there — because we have many repeat listeners on our platform, we’re mindful of the potential consumer fatigue that can set in when you hear the same songs in the same sequence day after day. To prevent this, we shuffle and regenerate our playlists daily to keep the experience fresh for our consumers.”
What do their listeners think?
Many of Music Choice’s listeners are absolutely thrilled with the service offered by them, often showering their inbox and DMs with compliments.
Luis said: “We often get feedback from consumers explaining how they’ve heard a song that really brought them back to reminisce, which I think is one of the most beautiful things about music consumption as a whole.
“Likewise, there are also hits from different eras which are no-brainers to enjoy, but also included are ones they’ve maybe forgotten about released at a similar time, and they get the experience of hearing it again almost in a brand new way.
